大象传媒

Single - living at home in Ambergate with my parents and two sisters and since leaving school, working in Derby as a railway clerk, I never dreamed that one day I would be in uniform with thw womens armed services;- especially as railway employees were ina reserved occupation. (or so I thought)
However in 1942 and at the hieght og the war, everything changed for me.The railways were instructed to release all women who became 21yrs of age between two given dates and I was one of only 3 or 4 to be conscripted- The men in the office called me the "sacrifice",and pretended to shed crocodile tears as they waved me off at the station.
The destination was Wrexham,north walesand it seemed a long way off that day.July10th 1942-age 21yrs. I remember we were met with a big army lorry and we all piled in not daring to show we were scared stiff! The barracks had nice big airy rooms with double bunks- I suppose about 24 girls to a room. the barracks had belonged to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers(complete with latrine) and I have a very vivid memory of hearing their dance band practising "The sailor with noavy blue eyes".A pop song at the time, That night the orederly officer came to each bed to have a word of introduction and welcome,and said it was the first intake she had ever inspected when there was'nt a tear. You can imagine after she had gone all the sobbing started!! Funny now but not at the time.By the way we had been issued with our uniforms,plus knife,fork,spoon and mug but no pyjamas, so we had to sleep in our underskirts that night.I was on the bottom bunk and my new friend from alderwasley on the top, she always had to help me make my bed ready for daily inspection, because the blankets had to be folded in a certain way and I was always so very slow.
The dining room I remember very well,big square tables seating 4 on each side and I remember only too well, the greasy tin of bacon,etc. and my asking the orderly for a well baked sausage and her reply reminding me I was'nt at b.... home now,you know!! such a shock for a well brought up village girl.
But I loved the marching with the band and enjoyed the square bashing,in general the girls were all lovely, and we all seemed to accept whatever came of coarse, you are always addressed by your suname and each had a number mine was dolman w/180301,and theysay you never forget your army no.. I would like to forget some things of coarse,especially all the injections you had to have. and also having to wear your respirator and go through a gas filled room(on your own)-frightening.
Then after some weeks the time came to leave Wrexham training centre and I was allocated to Donnington C.O.D. in Shropshire,were I shared a room with two derbyshire friends in a requisitioned house(the army had taken over the whole of a new council estate and the rest of our house was shared with welsh girls - we had a corporal in charge. There was literally thousands of troops at Donnington,a huge ordinace depot,and I did my clrical duties in an office of about 150 mixed army and civillian preconel,with a conveyor belt system for the corespondence, a light on your desk lit up when there was anything on it foryour section, which in my case was sedction v5 fci's(fire control instruments)and there's a funny tale to tell about private Dolman because one day she sent off a telegram marked "Top Priority" only to have the Brgadier in charge of the whole office, irately inform her that he was the only one who could do that.(my initials had given me away)
But hours were long and we had to work hard and when some of us complained about the overtime, we were soon told not to expect a "halo",along with the other expeltives, and you know at the end of my army career and passing 3 exams to become a 1st class clerk, my pay was 21s-6d a week(at 25yrs) but I am very gratefull to the railway who made up my salery and paid the necessary insurance stamp,so as not to interfere with my pension.
At the camp we had a very good NAAFI and could still "Elibeth Arden" cosmetics and other things pratically forgotten in civvey street, and naturally the social life was very good, dancing it seemed every night and we had a big garison theatre where I first saw "Gone with the wind" and dare I admit it I once performed on stage as the princess in the pato"alladin" it was very exiting particularly as my family came to see a performance one night,I remember it was on for a week.
Looking back I realise the food was very good,a perfect diet to keep us well and I know I learned to like some of my dislikes at home.
Leave did'nt come araound too often and I did'nt have one christmas at home in 4yrs,What would they do today one wonders.I just hate to hear young people say they are bored
Of coarse after every leave you had to have anf F,F,I, free from infection which included a hair inspection for lice and I remember vividly the M.O. looking between my fingers and sking me in her very clipped posh voice, what I thought I was"are you jewish" and of course my answer was no mam'm which was just as well as I hear she apparntly asked me "do you have an itch",
Memories come flooding back and the smiles too,also travelling home or anywhere by train in the blackout was a nightmare but in those days, our men and often americans treated us with respect and I was never afraid in their company.in fact on one occasion I had to spend the night on Derby station, due to an air raid and I was welcomed into the Ymca where I can visualise now all the soldiers and airmen asleep on the floor. I was very forunate that night as I happened to know one of the men serving coffee(from my derby railway days) and he kindly took me up the platform to the ladies room waited for me and escorted me safely back to the Ymca. You never forget these things and I'm quite sure the war brought out the best in most people,
And then March 1946 eventually arrived and I along with hundreds more were sent to York for demob. I don't remember a lot about that day except it was a horrendous journey in a non-corridor stock train, But I do remember the sadness of saying "Goodbye" to so many lovely friends. I know we passed round our autograph books and exchanged a few photographs but a big slice of our lives was over and though one can never forget the horrors and futility of the 2nd world war I must admit I think I came out of my army experience a better person and most of it I would'nt have missed for the world.
I am 83yrs old now and unfortunately am registered blind(though thankfully partially sighted) I have written these few memories hoping it will encourage others to tell their stories ofdays gone by, and hopefully give pleasure to the reader.

written by Lilian Cree (please note only one "l" lilian)

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